


What is it about bartenders?

by spacewitchqueen (vixy)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Kinda Fluffy, M/M, Modern AU, No Smut, practice for a fic exchange, rusty writer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 17:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5879887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vixy/pseuds/spacewitchqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux is the bartender at The First Order. Kylo comes in for a drink.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What is it about bartenders?

This looked like any other bar. There wasn’t anything special about it at first glance; only that it was literally the first bar he’d come across after walking for what felt like hours. He was tired, no, exhausted.

“The First Order” Kylo read the neon sign over the door and thought it would have to do. He reached for the door and hesitated for a few seconds, considering turning back the way he’d came. The fact that it was getting dark, and menacing clouds threatened rain, helped make up his mind. He’d had an awful day and he just wanted a drink. He went in. The place looked normal enough: some booths, some tables, a payphone near the restrooms and a nice selection of liquor behind the bar. Rock music was playing, a bit too quietly for his taste but all in all it wasn’t bad. The bartender, a young, red-haired man, eyed Kylo suspiciously.

“Easy there, ginger,” he thought, “I have money.” He nodded by way of greeting and the redhead returned the nod if somewhat curtly.

Kylo sat down at a booth by the window and he could have sworn he heard the bartender sigh. He was by his side in under a minute.

“I’ll have a…” Kylo started to say but was interrupted by the bartender asking to see some ID. Annoyed, he took out his wallet, all but shoving the card at the man. The redhead looked at it and when he was satisfied as to its authenticity he smiled at Kylo.

“Only just. I’m sorry, usually there’s someone at the door doing this but it’s Wednesday and it’s still kind of early…” Kylo shot him a look of barely-contained anger. “I’m not judging!” The redhead said, giving back his driver’s license and raising his arms in mock defeat. “You’re free to have a drink whenever you like.” Kylo mumbled something that sounded sort of like “That’s right” and then ordered a whiskey, neat. And then another, and then another. He felt sort of contented watching raindrops racing down the window.

The bar was still mostly empty a couple of hours later. Only some customers that looked like regulars from the way they talked to the bartender (did they call him “Hugs”?) had come in and had left already. One of them, a tall blonde woman talked to the redhead for a really long while, laughing at first, crying at some point and then she just drained her glass and left. Kylo wondered what made people open up to the stranger pouring them drinks "what is it about bartenders?" he thought. "Maybe it just happens when they're that cute." He eyed the bartender.

He was not sure he should ask for another drink. He hadn’t meant to order whiskey but he felt he had to show that damn right, he was an adult and he could drink like one.

The redhead approached him once more. Kylo thought he was about to be told to leave since he’d been cradling his last drink for a while now. He sighed. He thought he really should go home but he really didn’t want to. 

“Hey, would you mind sitting at the bar?” the bartender asked with a polite smile.

Kylo looked at him, rather surprised.

“Unless you’d rather leave…” Kylo didn’t want to leave but he made no reply.

“I just figured, I don’t think anyone else is coming tonight and this way I won’t have to walk all the way over here, so why don’t you sit over there” he pointed at the bar “while I clean up here.”

Kylo still didn’t say anything but sat down at the bar as he was told.

A few minutes later the ginger was back, he took a rag that didn’t look like a typical old rag, and began wiping the bar. Not that it looked like it needed cleaning, in fact, Kylo noticed, everything looked almost _too_ clean.

“So, what’s the matter?” the bartender asked, “what’s your story?”

Kylo raised an eyebrow thinking “really? We’re going to do the bartender routine? I don't think so.”

“I have no story, Hugs.”

“Hux” the bartender corrected him. They both laughed.

“Sure you do. But alright then, what brought you to this bar today…” Hux raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

“Kylo. It’s my birthday.” He gulped down the last of his drink trying to appear uninterested.

“Yeah, I saw it on your license.” Hux smiled. “So why aren’t you with your friends partying wildly, wrecking your place?” He said, pouring Kylo another drink. (“On the house.”)

Kylo considered giving a snarky reply but then he saw or rather, felt the genuine interest of the other man and decided to be honest.

“I don’t…” he stopped himself.

He really wanted to say “I don’t have any friends” but he heard a nagging voice in his head teasing him about being a drama queen so he settled for “I don’t have many friends.” He hunched his shoulders unconsciously and stared at the glass Hux had just given him, feeling really lonely for a moment.

“So you’re not a party animal.” Hux turned his back to Kylo, maybe to fix himself a drink, maybe to give Kylo some room, all the same, Kylo was grateful. He composed himself enough to continue the conversation.

“I live far. I don’t think anyone has bothered to learn the way to my place.” Kylo blushed, realizing this too was over-dramatic but he didn’t care, he felt he could talk to Hux, that he’d understand. “So today I just wanted to get away from… everything. I began walking and I just… got here.” He gave Hux an apologetic smile.

"What about your family?"

"I don't live with my parents anymore and..." He just shook his head no.

“Well, Kyle…”

“Kylo.”

“Kylo. Happy birthday.” They both raised their glasses.

They talked for a while, and Kylo thought he understood how people just tell all sorts of things to bartenders. He began wondering what was the strangest thing Hux had heard from his customers.

“It’s really time to go now.” Hux glanced at his watch. He had turned off the sign outside ages ago.

Kylo nodded somehow dejectedly but he understood, he had already imposed on Hux enough. “He could’ve just told me to leave when everyone else left, but he didn’t.” Kylo thought. He stood up muttering a soft thank you because he really didn’t know what else to say and “this was the best birthday ever” would sound too over the top and pathetic even.

“Where are you going?” Hux asked, stopping Kylo halfway to the door.

“I’m just going to w… call a cab” Kylo yawned. He was lying; he actually intended to walk all the way back. Hux seemed to guess this much, he rolled his eyes.

“Come on, I’ll drive you.” Hux said, dragging Kylo behind him.

Kylo didn't hesitate, he followed Hux outside and into his car. He was nervous but when Hux started talking again, he relaxed enough to fall asleep. Hux woke him up shaking him gently. They were in front of his building.

“Did I pass the friendship test?” Hux asked grinning.

Kylo looked at him confused “what test?” he fumbled with the seatbelt.

“I learned the way to your house.”

Kylo leaned in to kiss Hux on the cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> I had not written in ages! This is my first work for this fandom, it's short and didn't quite come out the way I wanted to but here it is.


End file.
